EmptyNestingIt

Sandfest 2018 in Port Aransas was a huge success and wonderful goal and shot in the arm for Port A.  The whole town of Port Aransas pulled together and got things cleaned up, sorted out and opened up for this annual event.  It must have felt so good to the local folks and you could hear it in their voices.  ‘PORTASTRONG’ was their motto and call to action.  Now this motto has turned into the pride of overcoming adversity in a very big way.  A very real celebration of perseverance and tenacity…

 

This one is my favorite … I love the entire composition and especially the ocean view between the two hearts.

First Place Winner

Runner up…

Stores, shops and restaurants have opened and the place was packed with sandy, happy tourists and locals!

Some of my favorites have reopened and I was thrilled to be able to stop by once again!!!

Trout Street Bar & Grill for some delicious gulf style fish and chips with Drum … yum!

 

La Playa Mexican Grille for some porchside Guacamole with Beef&Shrimp Fajitas that taste just as good as they look!

The Venetian Hotplate reopened this past week too and good for them we couldn’t get a reservation so we will have to wait for next time.  But, they’re back and thats what really matters!

The beach was amazing and just gorgeous.  The Gulf of Mexico is shallow so there are lots of sandbars and the waves roll in making for a dull roar of the ocean which is like a lullaby.

 

We travelled by RV to the gulf.  It’s about a 275 mile trip from our home in Austin and it was Charlie’s first voyage with us.  He did very well and made a lot of new friends.  We stayed for 9 days at Gulf Waters Rv Resort right on the ocean by boardwalk. It was so much fun!

 

This is my kind of camping! I have to admit I do like my creature comforts and this is an ownership park and full of pallapas, outdoor bars and fire pits.  It feels like you are just visiting folks and traveling from living room to living room.

This little beach town has come a long way since Hurricane Harvey stopped by.  Things are getting back on track and even though several of the local oceanside condominiums still have a few more months of renovation it is still totally worth the trip.  They are back on their feet and ready for visitors.

These are some photos that I took in late November/2017 when we visited the gulf.  Even several months post Harvey there were mountains of debris everywhere and it was a very sad state for Port A.

 

 

Hurricane Harvey was a devastating  Category 4 Hurricane that occured on August 25th 2017 when it made landfall between Port Aransas and Rockport on the Texas Gulf Coast.

These little beach towns took the brunt of the wind and sustained catastrophic damage.  Harvey is tied as the costliest US hurricane on record since Katrina.  The bulk of the dollar damage occurred in Houston when it stalled and dropped a staggering 40+ inches in four days but little coastal beach towns like this were practically blown off the face of the earth and they were devastated.  They were ground zero for this monster storm.

Charlie had a BLAST!!!  He says you should come for a visit… very soon!

Port Aransas is back and you should definitely come on down and witness the little beach town that did…  PORTASTRONG

For more info about Port Aransas happenings go to – http://www.portaransas.org

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